Split barrel electric hair curler/styler

Abstract

An electrically heated curler/styler includes an elongated handle having a rotatable elongated longitudinally split heating barrel projecting from the forward end thereof and defining a longitudinal space, open at its forward end, between the split portions of the barrel. A non-rotatable elongated flat blade-like clamp fixed to the forward end of the handle projects into the space between the split portions of the barrel, each of which is provided with a separate internal electric heater. The handle is provided with a button for manually rotating the split barrel from a first position wherein the longitudinal edge of the split barrel portions are spaced from the longitudinal edges of the clamp so that strands of hair can be inserted therebetween and a second position wherein the inserted hair strands are clamped between the longitudinal edges of the clamp and the split barrel portions for curling and/or styling. The split barrel portions are normally biased to the second position by a torsion spring in the handle. The rotatable split barrel arrangement eliminates the difficulty in releasing the finished curl.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A curler/styler comprising an elongated handle having an elongated longitudinally split heating barrel projecting from the forward end thereof and defining a longitudinal space between the split portions of the barrel, said space being open at its forward end, and an elongated generally flat blade-like clamp projecting from said forward end of said handle in said space between the split portions of said heating barrel, said split heating barrel and said clamp being rotatable relative to one another about a longitudinal axis between a first position wherein the split portions of the barrel are spaced from the clamp so that strands of hair can be inserted therebetween and a second position wherein the inserted hair strands are clamped between engaged longitudinal edges of the split barrel portions and the clamp, and means for selectively rotating said barrel and clamp relative to each other. 
     
     
       2. The curler/styler of claim 1 wherein each portion of said split barrel has a generally semi-cylindrical configuration and wherein generally planar surfaces thereof face one another in parallel, spaced-apart relationship. 
     
     
       3. The curler/styler of claim 1 wherein said blade-like clamp is fixedly mounted relative to said handle and wherein said split heating barrel has a rotor portion mounted in said handle for rotation relative thereto about said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       4. The curler/styler of claim 3 wherein resilient means is provided between said handle and said rotor portion for normally biasing said split barrel portions into clamping engagement with diagonally opposite longitudinal edges of said blade-like clamp. 
     
     
       5. The curler/styler of claim 4 wherein said means for selectively rotating said barrel and clamp relative to each other comprises manually engageable means for rotating said rotor against the force of said resilient means whereby to release said split barrel portions from said clamping with said clamp. 
     
     
       6. A curler/styler comprising an elongated handle having an elongated longitudinally split heating barrel projecting from the forward end thereof and adapted for limited rotation relative thereto, said split barrel defining a longitudinal space between the split barrel portions which is open at its forward end, an elongated, generally flat blade-like clamp projecting from said forward end of said handle and disposed in said space between the split portions of said heating barrel, said clamp being non-rotatable relative to said handle, said split heating barrel being rotatable relative to said clamp about a longitudinal axis between a first position wherein the split portions of the barrel are spaced from the clamp so that strands of hair can be inserted therebetween and a second position wherein the inserted hair strands are clamped between engaged longitudinal edges of the split barrel portions and said clamp, means for selectively rotating said barrel and clamp relative to each other, and means for internally heating both portions of said split heating barrel. 
     
     
       7. The curler/styler of claim 6 wherein each portion of said split barrel has a generally semi-cylindrical configuration and wherein generally planar surfaces thereof face one another in parallel, spaced-apart relationship. 
     
     
       8. The curler/styler of claim 6 wherein resilient means is provided between said handle and said split heating barrel for normally biasing said split barrel portions into clamping engagement with diagonally opposite longitudinal edges of said blade-like clamp. 
     
     
       9. The curler/styler of claim 8 wherein said means for rotating said barrel comprises a manually operable button on said handle for rotating said split heating barrel against the force of said resilient means whereby to release said split barrel portions from said clamping engagement with said clamp. 
     
     
       10. A curler/styler comprising a generally hollow handle portion having an open forward end, a rotor mounted in said open forward end for rotation about a longitudinal axis, said rotor having a pair of elongated, generally semi-cylindrical heating barrels projecting forwardly therefrom and adapted for rotation with said rotor, said semi-cylindrical barrels having planar surfaces facing one another in parallel, spaced apart relationship, means for internally heating each of said semi-cylindrical barrels, an elongated generally flat blade-like clamp having its rear end non-rotatably secured in the forward end of said handle and projecting forwardly between said planar surfaces of said semi-cylindrical heating barrels in spaced relationship thereto, resilient means biasing said rotor in a direction such that edge portions of each of said semi-cylindrical heating barrels normally engage diagonally opposite longitudinal edges of said blade-like clamp for clamping therebetween strands of hair to be curled/styled, and manually operable control means on said handle for rotating said rotor in a direction against the action of said resilient means whereby to disengage said semi-cylindrical heating barrels from engagement with said blade-like clamp whereby to permit either the entry of strands of hair to be curled/styled or the withdrawal of curled/styled hair into or from the space between said barrels and said clamp. 
     
     
       11. The curler/styler of claim 10 wherein said rotor is provided with a rearwardly extending concentric stem portion, wherein said resilient means is in the form of a torsion spring fitted over said stem portion and having one end engaged with a lug provided on said rotor and having the other end engaged with a projection provided on the inner surface of said handle, and wherein said manually operable control means comprises a button lever which is pivotally mounted on said handle and which has an off-center depending actuator which is engageable with said rotor lug to rotate said rotor and said semi-cylindrical heating barrels against the force of said torsion spring to disengage said barrels from said clamp. 
     
     
       12. A curler/styler comprising a generally hollow handle portion having a power cord projecting into the rear end thereof and having an open forward end, a rotor mounted in said open forward end for limited rotation about a longitudinal axis, said rotor having a pair of diametrically opposite, spaced apart, forwardly extending mounting projections, a pair of elongated generally semi-cylindrical hollow heating barrels mounted on said projections for rotation with said rotor and having planar surfaces facing each other in spaced apart parallel relationship, heater means in each of said semi-cylindrical barrels connected to said power cord, a generally flat blade-like clamp having its rear end non-rotatably secured in the forward end of said handle and projecting forwardly between said semi-cylindrical heating barrels in spaced relationship thereto, resilient means biasing said rotor in a direction such that an edge portion of each of said semi-cylindrical heating barrels normally engage diagonally opposite longitudinal edges of said blade-like clamp for clamping therebetween strands of hair to be curled/styled, and manually engageable control means on said handle for rotating said rotor in a direction against the action of said resilient means whereby to disengage said semi-cylindrical heating barrels from engagement with said blade-like clamp whereby to permit either the entry of strands of hair to be curled/styled or the withdrawal of curled/styled hair into or from the space between said barrels and said clamp. 
     
     
       13. The curler/styler of claim 12 wherein said mounting projections have forwardly diverging inclined surfaces, wherein inner facing surfaces of the rear portions of said semi-cylindrical hollow heating barrels are each provided with a longitudinally extending slot adjacent each of said inclined surfaces of said mounting projections, and wherein said rotor is centrally bored, whereby leads connected to said power cord pass through said centrally bored rotor and through said heating barrel slots and along said inclined mounting-projection surfaces into said pair of semi-cylindrical heating barrels for connection to said heater means therein. 
     
     
       14. A curler/styler comprising an elongated handle having an elongated longitudinally split heating barrel projecting forwardly from a centrally bored rotor mounted for rotation in the open front end of said handle, said split barrel defining a longitudinal space between the split barrel portions which is open at its forward end, an elongated generally flat blade-like clamp mounted in said forward end of said handle and extending in said space between the split portions of said heating barrel, said split heating barrel and said clamp beng rotatable relative to one another about a longitudinal axis between a first position wherein the split portions of the barrel are spaced from the clamp so that strands of hair can be inserted therebetween and a second position wherein the inserted hair strands are clamped between engaged longitudinal edges of the split barrel portions and said clamp, means for selectively rotating said barrel and clamp relative to each other, heater means in each portion of said split heating barrel with a slot being formed in the rear end of each barrel portion adjacent said rotor, a power cord extending into the rear end of said handle and having leads extending through said bored rotor and through said barrel portion slots for connection to said heater means, and a cool tip mounted on the forward end of each split barrel portion and having gently curved, facing inner surfaces which diverge in a forward direction.